🏈 The 2016 college football season
The champion and its path, the poll race week by week, the honours, the best games and every conference table.
Source: Citizen of Nowhere college football database · 11 conferences · 41 bowls
Jump to any season1869–2026
1860s
2016 national champion
Named by the selectors, with the road it took.
The path, Clemson14-1
- Sep 3atAuburnW19-13
- Sep 10vsTroyW30-24
- Sep 17vsSouth Carolina StateW59-0
- Sep 22atGeorgia TechW26-7
- Oct 1vs#3LouisvilleW42-36
- Oct 7atBoston CollegeW56-10
- Oct 15vsNorth Carolina StateW24-17
- Oct 29at#12Florida StateW37-34
- Nov 5vsSyracuseW54-0
- Nov 12vsPittsburghL42-43
- Nov 19atWake ForestW35-13
- Nov 26vsSouth CarolinaW56-7
- Dec 3vs#19Virginia TechW42-35ACC Championship Game
- Dec 31vs#2Ohio StateW31-0Fiesta Bowl
- Jan 9vs#1AlabamaW35-31College Football Championship Game
The 2016 playoff bracket
Round by round, seeds on the left of each team.
CFP (4 teams) · Seeds are final CFP rankings.
Semifinals · 2 games
National championship · 1 game
The other New Year’s bowls
- Orange BowlDec 30#10Florida State33#6Michigan32
- Cotton BowlJan 1#8Wisconsin24#12Western Michigan16
- Rose BowlJan 1#9USC52#5Penn State49
- Sugar BowlJan 1#7Oklahoma35#17Auburn19
The 2016 poll race
Rank by poll week, 1 at the top, or Elo by week. A poll line breaks where a team was unranked.
How this is measured
The final top five and the champion are drawn in team colours; everyone else is muted until you tap a line or pick a team. The grid under a poll chart has the same ranks, team by week, so a rank can be read as a number as well as a height. Where the College Football Playoff or BCS ranking also ran, switch between it and the AP poll. The Elo view plots each team's rating on the poll dates for the teams that finished in the Elo top 15 or were ranked at any point, and its Show filter works the same way.
- Conference title weeks
- Break before bowls
- Bowl season
Tap or drag on the chart to read a team's rank in any week.
AP rank, team by week
| Team | Aug23 | Sep6 | 11 | 18 | 25 | Oct2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30 | Nov6 | 13 | 20 | 27 | Dec4 | Jan10final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clemson | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Alabama | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| USC | 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 3 | ||||||||||
| Washington | 14 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 14 | 14 | 25 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | |
| Ohio State | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Penn State | 24 | 20 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 7 | ||||||||
| Florida State | 4 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 12 | 23 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 |
| Wisconsin | 10 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | |
| Michigan | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 10 |
| Oklahoma State | 21 | 22 | 22 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 11 | |||||||
| Stanford | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 12 | |||||||
| LSU | 5 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 25 | 19 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 25 | 21 | 19 | 13 | |||
| Florida | 25 | 23 | 19 | 23 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 22 | 21 | 13 | 15 | 20 | 14 | |
| Western Michigan | 24 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 15 | ||||||
| Virginia Tech | 25 | 17 | 25 | 23 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 16 | ||||||||
| Colorado | 21 | 23 | 21 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 17 | |||||||
| West Virginia | 22 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 19 | 14 | 14 | 18 | |||||
| South Florida | 24 | 25 | 19 | |||||||||||||
| Miami (FL) | 25 | 25 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 16 | 20 | |||||||||
| Louisville | 19 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 21 |
| Tennessee | 9 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 18 | 24 | 22 | |||||
| Utah | 24 | 18 | 24 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 21 | 23 | |||||
| Auburn | 23 | 21 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 24 | ||||||
| San Diego State | 22 | 19 | 24 | 25 | ||||||||||||
| Iowa | 17 | 16 | 13 | 22 | 21 | |||||||||||
| Pittsburgh | 24 | 22 | ||||||||||||||
| Temple | 23 | |||||||||||||||
| Nebraska | 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 23 | 24 | ||||
| Navy | 25 | 24 | 22 | 20 | ||||||||||||
| Houston | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 11 | 18 | |||||||
| Boise State | 24 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 20 | |||||||
| Texas A&M | 20 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 23 | 22 | ||||
| Washington State | 25 | 23 | 20 | 23 | ||||||||||||
| Troy | 25 | |||||||||||||||
| North Carolina | 22 | 17 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 15 | ||||||||||
| Baylor | 23 | 23 | 21 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 25 | |||||
| Arkansas | 24 | 17 | 20 | 16 | 22 | 17 | ||||||||||
| Mississippi | 11 | 19 | 19 | 23 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 23 | ||||||||
| Michigan State | 12 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 17 | |||||||||||
| TCU | 13 | 15 | 21 | |||||||||||||
| Texas | 11 | 11 | 21 | 22 | ||||||||||||
| Georgia | 18 | 9 | 16 | 12 | 25 | |||||||||||
| Notre Dame | 10 | 18 | 18 | |||||||||||||
| Oregon | 24 | 24 | 22 | |||||||||||||
| UCLA | 16 |
Tap a rank to read it and highlight that team on the chart above.
Movers
AP rank on Aug 23 against the final AP rank. NR is not ranked.
Risers
- Penn StateNR → #7
- USC#20 → #3
- WisconsinNR → #9
- Florida#25 → #14
- Western MichiganNR → #15
Fallers
- Notre Dame#10 → NR
- Mississippi#11 → NR
- Michigan State#12 → NR
- Tennessee#9 → #22
- TCU#13 → NR
2016 final polls
The last ranking of the season in each poll.
2016 final pollsAP, Coaches, CFP, Elo
AP and Coaches
Jan 10 final| AP | Team | C | Rec |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ClemsonAPCTitle | 1 | 14-1 |
| 2 | 2 | 14-1 | |
| 3 | 5 | 10-3 | |
| 4 | 4 | 12-2 | |
| 5 | 3 | 11-2 | |
| 6 | 6 | 11-2 | |
| 7 | 7 | 11-3 | |
| 8 | 8 | 10-3 | |
| 9 | 9 | 11-3 | |
| 10 | 10 | 10-3 | |
| 11 | 11 | 10-3 | |
| 12 | 12 | 10-3 | |
| 13 | 14 | 8-4 | |
| 14 | 13 | 9-4 | |
| 15 | 18 | 13-1 | |
| 16 | 16 | 10-4 | |
| 17 | 15 | 10-4 | |
| 18 | 17 | 10-3 | |
| 19 | 19 | 11-2 | |
| 20 | 23 | 9-4 | |
| 21 | 20 | 9-4 | |
| 22 | 24 | 9-4 | |
| 23 | 21 | 9-4 | |
| 24 | 22 | 8-5 | |
| 25 | 25 | 11-3 |
CFP
Dec 4 finalElo top 25
rating, z
APAP championCCoaches championTitleTitle game winner
2016 conference championship games
The title game of each conference that played one, by date. The percentage is the winner's pre-game Elo win chance.
2016 conference championship games8 games, Dec 2-3
- Dec 2MAC#13Western Michigan29Ohio23Ford Field87% Elo
- Dec 2Pac-12#4Washington41#9Colorado10Levi's Stadium67% Elo
- Dec 3ACC#3Clemson42#19Virginia Tech35Camping World Stadium85% Elo
- Dec 3AmericanTemple34#20Navy10Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium26% Elo
- Dec 3Big Ten#8Penn State38#6Wisconsin31Lucas Oil Stadium32% Elo
- Dec 3C-USAWestern Kentucky58Louisiana Tech44L. T. Smith Stadium79% Elo
- Dec 3Mountain WestSan Diego State27Wyoming24Wyoming War Memorial Stadium58% Elo
- Dec 3SEC#1Alabama54#15Florida16Georgia Dome92% Elo
The 2016 honours
The Heisman vote and the major awards side by side, then the All-Americans.
The 2016 honoursHeisman: Lamar Jackson
Heisman Trophy voting
Major awards
Mike MacIntyre
AFCA Coach of the Year Award · Coach · Colorado
Jonathan Allen
Bronko Nagurski Award · D · Alabama
Jonathan Allen
Chuck Bednarik Award · D · Alabama
Pat Elflein
Dave Rimington Trophy · C · Ohio State
Deshaun Watson
Davey O'Brien Award · QB · Clemson
Show all 21 awards
Reuben Foster
Dick Butkus Award · LB · Alabama
D'Onta Foreman
Doak Walker Award · RB · Texas
Dede Westbrook
Fred Biletnikoff Award · WR · Oklahoma
Adoree' Jackson
Jim Thorpe Award · DB · USC
Iowa
Joe Moore Award · OL · Iowa
Jake Butt
John Mackey Award · TE · Michigan
Deshaun Watson
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award · QB · Clemson
Jabrill Peppers
Lott Trophy · LB · Michigan
Zane Gonzalez
Lou Groza Award · PK · Arizona State
Deshaun Watson
Manning Award · QB · Clemson
Lamar Jackson
Maxwell Award · QB · Louisville
Cam Robinson
Outland Trophy · OT · Alabama
Mitch Wishnowsky
Ray Guy Award · P · Utah
Jonathan Allen
Ted Hendricks Award · DE · Alabama
Jonathan Allen
Vince Lombardi/Rotary Award · DE · Alabama
Lamar Jackson
Walter Camp Award · QB · Louisville
Consensus All-Americans
A star marks a unanimous selection.
QB
- Lamar Jackson★ unanimousLouisville
RB
- Dalvin Cook★ unanimousFlorida State
- D'Onta ForemanTexas
WR
- Corey DavisWestern Michigan
- Dede Westbrook★ unanimousOklahoma
Show all 11 positions
TE
- Jake ButtMichigan
OL
- Cody O'Connell★ unanimousWashington State
- Ryan RamczykWisconsin
- Cam Robinson★ unanimousAlabama
- Connor WilliamsTexas
- Pat Elflein★ unanimousOhio State
DL
- Jonathan Allen★ unanimousAlabama
- Derek BarnettTennessee
- Myles Garrett★ unanimousTexas A&M
- DeMarcus WalkerFlorida State
LB
- Zach Cunningham★ unanimousVanderbilt
- Reuben Foster★ unanimousAlabama
- Jabrill Peppers★ unanimousMichigan
DB
- Adoree' JacksonUSC
- Jourdan LewisMichigan
- Malik Hooker★ unanimousOhio State
- Budda BakerWashington
- Minkah FitzpatrickAlabama
- Tre'Davious WhiteLSU
P
- Mitch Wishnowsky★ unanimousUtah
KR/AP
- Quadree HendersonPittsburgh
PK
- Zane Gonzalez★ unanimousArizona State
QB
- Lamar Jackson★ unanimousLouisville
RB
- Dalvin Cook★ unanimousFlorida State
- D'Onta ForemanTexas
WR
- Corey DavisWestern Michigan
- Dede Westbrook★ unanimousOklahoma
TE
- Jake ButtMichigan
OL
- Cody O'Connell★ unanimousWashington State
- Ryan RamczykWisconsin
- Cam Robinson★ unanimousAlabama
- Connor WilliamsTexas
- Pat Elflein★ unanimousOhio State
DL
- Jonathan Allen★ unanimousAlabama
- Derek BarnettTennessee
- Myles Garrett★ unanimousTexas A&M
- DeMarcus WalkerFlorida State
LB
- Zach Cunningham★ unanimousVanderbilt
- Reuben Foster★ unanimousAlabama
- Jabrill Peppers★ unanimousMichigan
DB
- Adoree' JacksonUSC
- Jourdan LewisMichigan
- Malik Hooker★ unanimousOhio State
- Budda BakerWashington
- Minkah FitzpatrickAlabama
- Tre'Davious WhiteLSU
P
- Mitch Wishnowsky★ unanimousUtah
KR/AP
- Quadree HendersonPittsburgh
PK
- Zane Gonzalez★ unanimousArizona State
The best games of 2016
The ten best games of the season by Game Score. Switch to the Elo score for a second opinion.
How this is measured
Game score is the college football workbook's own rating of how good a game was; it weighs a lot more than the margin. The Elo score is a second view built from the ratings alone: the two teams' average pre-game Elo, plus stakes (150 for the national championship game, 90 for a playoff game or a major bowl, 40 for another bowl or a conference title game, 15 for a rivalry), plus up to 60 for a close finish and 15 for overtime. The Elo view takes its own top ten from every game between major teams. Sort by any column.
The best games of 201610 games
Rank by
9
#8Wisconsin beat #12Western Michigan
24-16 · Cotton Bowl · 2017-01-01 · Elo score 1946
0.73
game score
Upsets of 2016
The results the ratings gave the winner the least chance of, lowest first.
How this is measured
Win chance is the winner's pre-game probability from the site's college football Elo ratings, home field included, so 3% means the winner would be expected to win about one time in thirty. Games against lower-level opponents count and carry a tag for the level (FCS, Division II and so on). Where the AP poll had ranks, the rank line is shown as context. Elo gap is the loser's pre-game rating minus the winner's.
Upsets of 201610 upsets
2016 standings by conference
Every conference at once: conference and overall record, and the final AP rank. A star marks the conference champion.
2016 standings by conference11 groups
American Athletic
12 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | ||||
| 1 | South Florida | 7-1 | 11-2 | #19 |
| 2 | Temple★ conference champion | 7-1 | 10-4 | |
| 3 | Central Florida | 4-4 | 6-7 | |
| 4 | Cincinnati | 1-7 | 4-8 | |
| 5 | Connecticut | 1-7 | 3-9 | |
| 6 | East Carolina | 1-7 | 3-9 | |
| West | ||||
| 1 | Navy | 7-1 | 9-5 | |
| 2 | Tulsa | 6-2 | 10-3 | |
| 3 | Houston | 5-3 | 9-4 | |
| 4 | Memphis | 5-3 | 8-5 | |
| 5 | SMU | 3-5 | 5-7 | |
| 6 | Tulane | 1-7 | 4-8 | |
Atlantic Coast
14 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic | ||||
| 1 | Clemson★ conference champion | 7-1 | 14-1 | #1 |
| 2 | Louisville | 7-1 | 9-4 | #21 |
| 3 | Florida State | 5-3 | 10-3 | #8 |
| 4 | North Carolina State | 3-5 | 7-6 | |
| 5 | Wake Forest | 3-5 | 7-6 | |
| 6 | Boston College | 2-6 | 7-6 | |
| 7 | Syracuse | 2-6 | 4-8 | |
| Coastal | ||||
| 1 | Virginia Tech | 6-2 | 10-4 | #16 |
| 2 | Miami (FL) | 5-3 | 9-4 | #20 |
| 3 | North Carolina | 5-3 | 8-5 | |
| 4 | Pittsburgh | 5-3 | 8-5 | |
| 5 | Georgia Tech | 4-4 | 9-4 | |
| 6 | Duke | 1-7 | 4-8 | |
| 7 | Virginia | 1-7 | 2-10 | |
Big 12
10 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma★ conference champion | 9-0 | 11-2 | #5 |
| 2 | Oklahoma State | 7-2 | 10-3 | #11 |
| 3 | West Virginia | 7-2 | 10-3 | #18 |
| 4 | Kansas State | 6-3 | 9-4 | |
| 5 | TCU | 4-5 | 6-7 | |
| 6 | Baylor | 3-6 | 7-6 | |
| 7 | Texas | 3-6 | 5-7 | |
| 8 | Texas Tech | 3-6 | 5-7 | |
| 9 | Iowa State | 2-7 | 3-9 | |
| 10 | Kansas | 1-8 | 2-10 |
Big Ten
14 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | ||||
| 1 | Ohio State | 8-1 | 11-2 | #6 |
| 2 | Penn State★ conference champion | 8-1 | 11-3 | #7 |
| 3 | Michigan | 7-2 | 10-3 | #10 |
| 4 | Indiana | 4-5 | 6-7 | |
| 5 | Maryland | 3-6 | 6-7 | |
| 6 | Michigan State | 1-8 | 3-9 | |
| 7 | Rutgers | 0-9 | 2-10 | |
| West | ||||
| 1 | Wisconsin | 7-2 | 11-3 | #9 |
| 2 | Nebraska | 6-3 | 9-4 | |
| 3 | Iowa | 6-3 | 8-5 | |
| 4 | Minnesota | 5-4 | 9-4 | |
| 5 | Northwestern | 5-4 | 7-6 | |
| 6 | Illinois | 2-7 | 3-9 | |
| 7 | Purdue | 1-8 | 3-9 | |
Conference USA
13 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | ||||
| 1 | Western Kentucky★ conference champion | 7-1 | 11-3 | |
| 2 | Old Dominion | 7-1 | 10-3 | |
| 3 | Middle Tennessee State | 5-3 | 8-5 | |
| 4 | Florida International | 4-4 | 4-8 | |
| 5 | Florida Atlantic | 2-6 | 3-9 | |
| 6 | Marshall | 2-6 | 3-9 | |
| 7 | Charlotte | - | 4-8 | |
| West | ||||
| 1 | Louisiana Tech | 6-2 | 9-5 | |
| 2 | TX-San Antonio | 5-3 | 6-7 | |
| 3 | Southern Mississippi | 4-4 | 7-6 | |
| 4 | North Texas | 3-5 | 5-8 | |
| 5 | UTEP | 2-6 | 4-8 | |
| 6 | Rice | 2-6 | 3-9 | |
Mid-American
12 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West | ||||
| 1 | Western Michigan★ conference champion | 8-0 | 13-1 | #15 |
| 2 | Toledo | 6-2 | 9-4 | |
| 3 | Northern Illinois | 5-3 | 5-7 | |
| 4 | Eastern Michigan | 4-4 | 7-6 | |
| 5 | Central Michigan | 3-5 | 6-7 | |
| 6 | Ball State | 1-7 | 4-8 | |
| East | ||||
| 1 | Ohio | 6-2 | 8-6 | |
| 2 | Miami (OH) | 6-2 | 6-7 | |
| 3 | Akron | 3-5 | 5-7 | |
| 4 | Bowling Green | 3-5 | 4-8 | |
| 5 | Kent State | 2-6 | 3-9 | |
| 6 | Buffalo | 1-7 | 2-10 | |
Mountain West
12 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West | ||||
| 1 | San Diego State★ conference champion | 6-2 | 11-3 | #25 |
| 2 | Hawaii | 4-4 | 7-7 | |
| 3 | Nevada | 3-5 | 5-7 | |
| 4 | San Jose State | 3-5 | 4-8 | |
| 5 | UNLV | 3-5 | 4-8 | |
| 6 | Fresno State | 0-8 | 1-11 | |
| Mountain | ||||
| 1 | Boise State | 6-2 | 10-3 | |
| 2 | New Mexico | 6-2 | 9-4 | |
| 3 | Wyoming | 6-2 | 8-6 | |
| 4 | Air Force | 5-3 | 10-3 | |
| 5 | Colorado State | 5-3 | 7-6 | |
| 6 | Utah State | 1-7 | 3-9 | |
Pacific-12
12 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | ||||
| 1 | Washington★ conference champion | 8-1 | 12-2 | #4 |
| 2 | Washington State | 7-2 | 8-5 | |
| 3 | Stanford | 6-3 | 10-3 | #12 |
| 4 | California | 3-6 | 5-7 | |
| 5 | Oregon State | 3-6 | 4-8 | |
| 6 | Oregon | 2-7 | 4-8 | |
| South | ||||
| 1 | Colorado | 8-1 | 10-4 | #17 |
| 2 | USC | 7-2 | 10-3 | #3 |
| 3 | Utah | 5-4 | 9-4 | #23 |
| 4 | Arizona State | 2-7 | 5-7 | |
| 5 | UCLA | 2-7 | 4-8 | |
| 6 | Arizona | 1-8 | 3-9 | |
Southeastern
14 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West | ||||
| 1 | Alabama★ conference champion | 8-0 | 14-1 | #2 |
| 2 | LSU | 5-3 | 8-4 | #13 |
| 3 | Auburn | 5-3 | 8-5 | #24 |
| 4 | Texas A&M | 4-4 | 8-5 | |
| 5 | Arkansas | 3-5 | 7-6 | |
| 6 | Mississippi State | 3-5 | 6-7 | |
| 7 | Mississippi | 2-6 | 5-7 | |
| East | ||||
| 1 | Florida | 6-2 | 9-4 | #14 |
| 2 | Tennessee | 4-4 | 9-4 | #22 |
| 3 | Georgia | 4-4 | 8-5 | |
| 4 | Kentucky | 4-4 | 7-6 | |
| 5 | South Carolina | 3-5 | 6-7 | |
| 6 | Vanderbilt | 3-5 | 6-7 | |
| 7 | Missouri | 2-6 | 4-8 | |
Sun Belt
11 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Appalachian State★ conference champion | 7-1 | 10-3 | |
| 2 | Arkansas State★ conference champion | 7-1 | 8-5 | |
| 3 | Troy | 6-2 | 10-3 | |
| 4 | Idaho | 6-2 | 9-4 | |
| 5 | LA-Lafayette | 5-3 | 6-7 | |
| 6 | Georgia Southern | 4-4 | 5-7 | |
| 7 | LA-Monroe | 3-5 | 4-8 | |
| 8 | South Alabama | 2-6 | 6-7 | |
| 9 | Georgia State | 2-6 | 3-9 | |
| 10 | New Mexico State | 2-6 | 3-9 | |
| 11 | Texas State | 0-8 | 2-10 |
Independent
4 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BYU | - | 9-4 | |
| 2 | Army | - | 8-5 | |
| 3 | Notre Dame | - | 4-8 | |
| 4 | Massachusetts | - | 2-10 |
2016 bowls
One line per game, latest first. A tag marks the playoff and the other major bowls.
2016 bowls41 bowls
Show all 41 bowls
FCS. Shown for context. These seasons do not count in this hub’s major-college records.
Champion
FCS national champion.
FCS champion
Playoff
Round by round.
FCS playoff
First Round · 8 games
Cal Poly-SLO21
San Diego35✓
Nov 27 · Cal Poly-SLO
Second Round · 8 games
2Eastern Washington31✓
Central Arkansas14
Dec 3 · Eastern Washington
Quarterfinals · 4 games
Semifinals · 2 games
Youngstown State40✓
Eastern Washington38
Championship · 1 game
2016 standings by conference
Overall and conference record.
2016 standings by conference14 groups
Big Sky
13 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Washington | 8-0 | 12-2 | |
| 2 | North Dakota | 8-0 | 9-3 | |
| 3 | Weber State | 6-2 | 7-5 | |
| 4 | Cal Poly-SLO | 5-3 | 7-5 | |
| 5 | Southern Utah | 5-3 | 6-5 | |
| 6 | Northern Colorado | 4-4 | 6-5 | |
| 7 | Northern Arizona | 4-4 | 5-6 | |
| 8 | Montana | 3-5 | 6-5 | |
| 9 | Montana State | 2-6 | 4-7 | |
| 10 | Portland State | 2-6 | 3-8 | |
| 11 | UC Davis | 2-6 | 3-8 | |
| 12 | Sacramento State | 2-6 | 2-9 | |
| 13 | Idaho State | 1-7 | 2-9 |
Big South
6 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston Southern | 4-1 | 7-4 | |
| 2 | Liberty | 4-1 | 6-5 | |
| 3 | Kennesaw State | 3-2 | 8-3 | |
| 4 | Gardner-Webb | 2-3 | 4-7 | |
| 5 | Monmouth | 1-4 | 5-6 | |
| 6 | Presbyterian | 1-4 | 2-9 |
Colonial
12 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Madison | 8-0 | 14-1 | |
| 2 | Villanova | 6-2 | 9-4 | |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 6-2 | 8-5 | |
| 4 | Richmond | 5-3 | 10-4 | |
| 5 | Maine | 5-3 | 6-5 | |
| 6 | Albany | 4-4 | 7-4 | |
| 7 | Stony Brook | 4-4 | 5-6 | |
| 8 | William & Mary | 3-5 | 5-6 | |
| 9 | Towson | 3-5 | 4-7 | |
| 10 | Delaware | 2-6 | 4-7 | |
| 11 | Elon | 1-7 | 2-9 | |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 1-7 | 2-9 |
Ivy
8 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeton | 6-1 | 8-2 | |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | 6-1 | 7-3 | |
| 3 | Harvard | 5-2 | 7-3 | |
| 4 | Brown | 3-4 | 4-6 | |
| 5 | Yale | 3-4 | 3-7 | |
| 6 | Cornell | 2-5 | 4-6 | |
| 7 | Columbia | 2-5 | 3-7 | |
| 8 | Dartmouth | 1-6 | 4-6 |
Mid-Eastern
11 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina Central | 8-0 | 9-3 | |
| 2 | North Carolina A&T | 7-1 | 9-3 | |
| 3 | Hampton | 5-3 | 5-5 | |
| 4 | Bethune-Cookman | 4-3 | 4-5 | |
| 5 | South Carolina State | 4-3 | 4-6 | |
| 6 | Florida A&M | 4-4 | 4-7 | |
| 7 | Savannah State | 3-4 | 3-6 | |
| 8 | Norfolk State | 3-5 | 4-7 | |
| 9 | Morgan State | 2-5 | 2-8 | |
| 10 | Howard | 2-6 | 2-9 | |
| 11 | Delaware State | 0-8 | 0-11 |
Missouri Valley
10 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota State | 7-1 | 12-2 | |
| 2 | South Dakota State | 7-1 | 9-4 | |
| 3 | Youngstown State | 6-2 | 12-4 | |
| 4 | Illinois State | 4-4 | 6-6 | |
| 5 | Northern Iowa | 4-4 | 5-6 | |
| 6 | Western Illinois | 3-5 | 6-5 | |
| 7 | South Dakota | 3-5 | 4-7 | |
| 8 | Indiana State | 2-6 | 4-7 | |
| 9 | Missouri State | 2-6 | 4-7 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois | 2-6 | 4-7 |
Northeast
7 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duquesne | 5-1 | 8-3 | |
| 2 | St. Francis (PA) | 5-1 | 7-5 | |
| 3 | Wagner | 4-2 | 6-5 | |
| 4 | Bryant | 4-2 | 5-6 | |
| 5 | Sacred Heart | 1-5 | 6-5 | |
| 6 | Central Connecticut State | 1-5 | 2-9 | |
| 7 | Robert Morris | 1-5 | 2-9 |
Ohio Valley
9 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacksonville State | 7-0 | 10-2 | |
| 2 | UT-Martin | 6-2 | 7-5 | |
| 3 | Tennessee Tech | 5-3 | 5-6 | |
| 4 | Tennessee State | 4-3 | 7-4 | |
| 5 | Eastern Illinois | 4-4 | 6-5 | |
| 6 | Murray State | 4-4 | 4-7 | |
| 7 | SE Missouri State | 3-5 | 3-8 | |
| 8 | Eastern Kentucky | 2-6 | 3-8 | |
| 9 | Austin Peay | 0-8 | 0-11 |
Patriot
7 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lehigh | 6-0 | 9-3 | |
| 2 | Fordham | 5-1 | 8-3 | |
| 3 | Colgate | 4-2 | 5-5 | |
| 4 | Bucknell | 3-3 | 4-7 | |
| 5 | Holy Cross | 2-4 | 4-7 | |
| 6 | Lafayette | 1-5 | 2-9 | |
| 7 | Georgetown | 0-6 | 3-8 |
Pioneer
11 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego | 8-0 | 10-2 | |
| 2 | Dayton | 7-1 | 9-2 | |
| 3 | Drake | 6-2 | 7-4 | |
| 4 | Marist | 5-3 | 5-6 | |
| 5 | Jacksonville | 4-3 | 5-5 | |
| 6 | Campbell | 3-4 | 5-5 | |
| 7 | Morehead State | 3-5 | 4-7 | |
| 8 | Valparaiso | 3-5 | 4-7 | |
| 9 | Butler | 2-6 | 4-7 | |
| 10 | Stetson | 2-6 | 4-7 | |
| 11 | Davidson | 0-8 | 2-9 |
Southern
9 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citadel | 8-0 | 10-2 | |
| 2 | Wofford | 6-2 | 10-4 | |
| 3 | UT-Chattanooga | 6-2 | 9-4 | |
| 4 | Samford | 5-3 | 7-5 | |
| 5 | Mercer | 4-4 | 6-5 | |
| 6 | Furman | 3-5 | 3-8 | |
| 7 | East Tennessee State | 2-6 | 5-6 | |
| 8 | VMI | 1-7 | 3-8 | |
| 9 | Western Carolina | 1-7 | 2-9 |
Southland
11 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Houston State | 9-0 | 12-1 | |
| 2 | Central Arkansas | 8-1 | 10-3 | |
| 3 | SE Louisiana | 7-2 | 7-4 | |
| 4 | McNeese State | 5-4 | 6-5 | |
| 5 | Nicholls State | 5-4 | 5-6 | |
| 6 | Stephen F. Austin | 4-5 | 5-6 | |
| 7 | Houston Baptist | 3-5 | 4-7 | |
| 8 | Incarnate Word | 3-6 | 3-8 | |
| 9 | Lamar | 3-6 | 3-8 | |
| 10 | Abilene Christian | 2-7 | 2-9 | |
| 11 | Northwestern State | 0-9 | 1-10 |
Southwestern Athletic
10 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | ||||
| 1 | Grambling | 9-0 | 12-1 | |
| 2 | Southern | 8-1 | 8-3 | |
| 3 | Prairie View | 7-2 | 7-4 | |
| 4 | Texas Southern | 4-5 | 4-7 | |
| 5 | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | 1-8 | 1-10 | |
| West | ||||
| 1 | Alcorn State | 5-4 | 5-6 | |
| 2 | Alabama A&M | 4-5 | 4-7 | |
| 3 | Alabama State | 3-6 | 4-7 | |
| 4 | Jackson State | 3-6 | 3-8 | |
| 5 | Mississippi Valley State | 1-8 | 1-10 | |
Independent
1 teams| # | Team | Conf | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coastal Carolina | - | 9-2 |
Where these numbers come from
Enough to disbelieve this page on purpose rather than by accident.
Champions, polls, standings, bowls, honours and games are read from the Citizen of Nowhere college football database, built from its own workbook one season at a time. Team colours and crests are the current programs’, so a school is drawn the way it looks today even where it played under another name.
The AP poll begins in 1936, so earlier seasons have no poll race and no final poll, but they do have an Elo race, and their champions are those the selectors named. Before 1992 there was no title game, so those seasons list the major bowls instead; from 1992 the title game is shown with the other major bowls, and from 2014 the playoff bracket. Where the database has no entry for a section, the section is left out rather than shown empty.
Elo ratings, the upsets and the best games come from the site’s college football Elo, which rates every game since 1869 and counts games against lower-level opponents. Each season’s ratings are shown on a scale where the average major team ends the season at 1500; z is the distance from that average in standard deviations.